Tape-measure.



F. F. FORSHEE.

TAPE MEASURE.

APPLICATION man mm, 1914.

1 1 34,523, Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Wnmassas MENTOR 1 exmh xwmm fiTTORNEY THE NOR PETERS C0. FHOTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D4 C ITED STATES FRANK F. FORSI-IEE, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALFRED E.

SHEPHARD, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN.

TAPE-MEASURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed April 9, 1914. Serial No. 830,639.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK F. Fonsrrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flint, county of Genesee, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tape-Measures, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to tape measures and has for its object a tape reel or center provided with a bearing whose engagement with the tape case may be changed for the purpose of providing more or less friction.

At the same time, the drum is journaled wholly in one side of the casing so as to present a neat appearance and the frictional engagement of the bearing with the casing can be made very slight when such an end is desired.

In the drawings,Figure 1, is a plan view of the tape drum, the bearing, and a part of the ta e case. Fig. 2, is a section on the line A of Fig. l, the broken-away section of the tape case being restored. Fig. 3, is a section on the line BB of Fig. 1. Fig. '4, is a sectional view showing how the tape drum is inserted in the tape case.

The tape case is designated a, the tape drum 5, the pivoted crank handle 0. The drum is provided with a pair of recesses d to allow the projection of the bearing member e at'the sides of the drum. This bearing member 6 is a leaf spring bowed as shown in Fig. 3. At the middle portion of the spring a pair of cars 7 are turned up, which act to hold the nut g from turning after that member has been run upon the screw it, which holds the axial position in the tape measure. The ends of the spring e project beyond the drum as shown in Fig. 1 and wipe the side of the tape casing, the wiping action taking place preferably upon the bushing 73.

The screw 72. is inserted through the central hole in the end of the tape drum and through the opening at the mid portion of the bearing or leaf spring e. The nut g is run upon the end of the screw. The end of the screw is then upset as shown at is in Fig. 2. This prevents the nut from working off. After the nut has been run on" between the ears f so that it cannot be turned and so that when a screw driver is used upon the head of the screw it, the leaf spring may be tightened upon the inside face of the tape case.

The farther the screw is turned to draw the leaf spring toward the side wall of the tape case, the more friction will be induced between the leaf spring or bearing and the bushing 2'. Of course the greater the friction the harder the drum will turn, but it is the desideratum to so adjust the friction that case of turning will result without the drum spinning too easily when a back lashing of the tape takes place. Such an adjustment is possible with the organization of structure that I have just described. It will also be noticed that it presents a very simple way for journaling the tape drum wholly in one side wall of the tape case. This results in a tape case of a very neat appearance and at the same time one that can be made thinner than usual.

In Fig. 4, the tape drum'is shown in the act of being inserted in the tape case. This insertion is secured by tipping the tape drum, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to insert first one end of the bearing 6 and then the other. It will also be noticed that the screw and nut have not been turned so as to bear tightly upon the sprin as yet.

The drag or brake ormed by the spring or bearing member bearing against the side wall of the casing could be used with a tape drum that is journaled in both sides of the casing. However, one of the advantages of this leaf spring that acts both as a brake and a bearing is that the drum can be easily fitted into the tape case and the leaf spring, when the screw is loosened, can be shaken to one side so that the drum and spring will slip into the central opening, as shown in Fig. 4. It requires some care to slip the slots in the tape drum over the loop in the inner end of the tape and bring a portion of the drum periphery included between two slots on the inside of the loop so that the tape is thus attached to the drum. My arrangement, whereby the bearing spring is attached to the tape drum before the tape drum is inserted, makes it easy to insert the tape drum great Ann,

through the loop in the end of the tape, for the leaf spring or bearing member is not in the way.

What I claim is:

1. In a measuring tape, the combination of a tape case provided with a side wall having a central opening, a tape drum journaled in said central opening, a bearing member in the form of a leaf spring, and a screw for holding the said bearing member to the tape drum and altering its relation therewith to vary the friction of the leaf spring where it wipes the side wall of the case.

2. In a tape measure, the combination of a tape case provided with a side wall having a central opening, a drum j ournaled therein and provided with openings at each side, a bearing member in the form of a leaf spring that crosses said tape drum and has ends protruding through the openings in the sides of the drum and beyond the tape drum to wipe the interior of the side wall of the tape case, a nut held in non-rotative position upon said bearing member, and a screw passing through the end of the drum and through the nut for tightening the relation of the leaf spring to the side wall of the tape case.

3. In a tape measure, the combination of a tape case provided with a side wall having' a central opening, a tape drum journaled therein, and provided with openings in the side thereof, a bowed leaf spring ha"- ing its ends passing through the opening so as to wipe the inside of the side wall of the tape case, the said mid portion of the leaf spring having a pair of ears turned up and a nut held in non-rotative position between said ears, a screw passed through the end wall of the drum, the leaf spring and nut, the last of which is threaded upon the screw.

&. In a tape measure the combination of a tape case, a tape drum journaled therein, a spring attached to one of the first mentioned two members on the inside of the tape drum and adapted to wipe the other member continuously during the rotation of the drum and means for fixing the adjustment of the said spring to make it bear more tightly or less tightly against the member that it wipes.

5. In a tape measure, the combination of a tape case, a tape drum journaled therein, a leaf spring attached to one of said first mentioned members on the inside of the tape case and wiping the other member continuously during the rotation of the drum, a screw for attaching said leaf spring to the member that holds it and for adjusting the bearing of the leaf spring against the member that it wipes.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK F. FURSIIEE.

Witnesses:

STUART (J. BARNES, VIRGINIA G. SPRATT.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

